1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC card connector used for such electronic devices as telephones, cash dispensers, personal computers, cameras and the like.
2. Related Art
Before describing the art related to the present invention, it should be noted that the term xe2x80x9cIC cardxe2x80x9d herein used refers to a card which contains a write/read memory or both a memory and a CPU and which can be put into a purse, a handbag, a pocket or the like for carriage. The IC card of this type is inserted for use in the above-mentioned electronic device. A conventional card connector mounted on a wiring circuit board is built in a given electronic device and an IC card is inserted into and withdrawn from the card connector in its posture held in parallel relation to a wiring circuit board into a card insertion space of the card connector through a card inlet/outlet port formed in an external wall of the electronic device. In the conventional card connector, it is essentially required to form a card inlet/outlet port in the external wall of the electronic device. On the other hand, there are many commercially available electronic devices of the type in which in order to prevent foreign matter from entering through the card inlet/outlet port and to prevent an IC card from slipping out due to vibrations or the like, a closure member is provided on an external wall of such electronic devices such that when the closure member is open, a card connector is exposed and the IC card is withdrawably inserted directly into the exposed card connector and then the closure member is closed. Such electronic devices include, for example, portable telephones, digital cameras and the like.
In those conventional electronic devices, it is typical that the card connector or the electronic device body is provided with a card pressing closure member. In use, the card pressing closure member is opened to place an IC card on the contacts or an IC card is inserted into the card pressing closure member and then, the card pressing closure member is closed to push the IC card against the contacts for pressure contact. In some instances, the pressing closure member serves also as a battery case.
In any one of the above mentioned conventional devices, it is essentially required to employ an additional pressing closure member solely for the purpose of providing pressure contact, which naturally results in cost increase, inferior performance in card inserting/withdrawing operation, slippage of contacting position, etc. In addition, the pressing closure member is liable to be damaged by external force.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-mentioned problems inherent in the prior art devices,
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a mounting structure of a card connector which is capable of solving the above-mentioned problems efficiently.
In order to achieve the above object, there is essentially provided a mounting structure of a card connector having a connector body which is surface mounted on a wiring circuit board, an IC card being allowed to be withdrawably inserted into the connector body so that the IC card can be connected to the wiring circuit board through the connector body, wherein the connector body includes a card insertion space which is disposed at an angle of inclination with respect to an upper surface of the wiring circuit board, a card inlet/outlet port being formed in an upper inclination end of the card insertion space such that the IC card inserted into the card insertion space through the card inlet/outlet space is retained for connection at an angle of inclination.
From another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a mounting structure of a card connector in which a base plate having contacts for contacting an IC card is surface mounted on an upper surface of a wiring circuit board through the contacts, wherein an upper surface of the base plate is inclined with respect to the upper surface of the wiring circuit board, a card insertion space being formed by the inclination surface of the base plate, a card inlet/outlet port for inserting the IC card therein being formed at an upper inclination end of the base plate from the upper inclination end to a lower inclination end, the IC card being retained in an inclination posture within the card insertion space so that the IC card can be pressure contacted with the contacts of the base plate.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the contacts are ananged in array on both the upper inclination end side and the lower inclination end side, and a surface mounting terminal of each of the contacts which are arranged on the upper inclination end side is allowed to project towards the surface mounting side of the upper inclination end, while a surface mounting tenninal of each of the contacts which are arranged on the lower inclination end side is allowed to project towards the surface mounting side of the lower inclination end.
By virtue of the above-mentioned construction, there is no need to provide an IC pressing cover member with respect to the card connector which is exposed by opening a closure member formed on the external wall of a given electronic device. The IC card may simply be inserted into the device slantwise from outside for reliable pressure contact. The card connector can be simplified in structure and decreased in cost. Moreover, the contacting position can be prevented from slipping and the performance of the card inserting/withdrawing operation can be enhanced.
In addition, irrespective of whether a card inlet/outlet port is formed in an external wall of a given electronic device or a closure member is provided, the IC card can easily be inserted or withdrawn from slantwise above and the IC card can be prevented from being accidentally slippingly withdrawn by vibrations.